Copolymers of vinyl furane and chloroprene



Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITE-D srATEs PATENT Tomes, 2 ,4ss,182

of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 17, 1947, Serial No. 735,245

4 Claims. (Cl. 260-87.5)

This invention relates to new polymeric compositions of matter havinguseful properties as hereinafter described, and, more particularly, tocopolymeric masses prepared by the conjoint polymerization of vinylfurane with chloroprene.

In accordance with this invention, chloroprene and vinyl furane werecopolymerized in aqueous emulsion in the presence of oxidizing catalystsand emulsion stabilizing agents. Suitable oxidizing catalysts for thepractice of this invention are sodium perborate, hydrogen peroxide,sodium peroxide, sodium persulfate, benzoyl peroxide, ethylpercarbonate, per acid salts of other alkali metals and other organicperoxides and percarbonates. Suitable emulsion stabilizing agents forthe practice of this invention are the alkali metal and ammonia salts ofhigh molecular weight carboxylic acids, preferably those having 8 to 22carbon atoms, the alkali metal and ammonium salts of rosin acids, and ingeneral, any compound having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic radicals.Among the many useful materials for stabilizing the emulsion are thefatty acid soaps made by the saponification of vegetable and animaloils, the rosin soaps, the sodium alkyl sulfates, particularly those inwhich the alkyl group has between 8 and 22 carbon atoms, the sodiumalkyl sulfonates, the various sulfonated hydrocarbons, the amino soaps,such as triethanolamine, and other agents known to stabilize aqueousemulsions.

The new copolymers may be prepared with as little as percent of vinylfurane and as much as 95 percent, although in the preferred compositionsthe vinyl furane is used in an amount between 25 and 75 percent of theentire copolymer. The chloroprene will also vary between 5 and 95percent and in the more desirable compounds will be present in amountbetween 25 and 75 percent. Tripolymers, and copolymers of 4 or moreconstituents may also be prepared by adding other compatiblepolymerizable olefinic compounds in small amounts. Suitable otherolefinic compounds are styrene, vinylidene chloride, vinyl esters offatty acids, such as vinyl acetate, maleic anhydride, acrylonitrile andalkyl esters of acrylic acid, chloroacrylic acid and methacrylic acid asmethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate.

The polymerizations may be conducted in any conventional emulsionpolymerization apparatus. It is usually desirable to provide some meansof agitating the reactants to induce a homogeneous copolymerization, andfor this purpose a stirring device, a means for tumbling the container,or otherwise agitating the contents may be provided. To induce morerapid polymerization, it is Example 1 Eight grams of vinyl furane and 4grams of chloroprene were charged into a glass reaction vessel with 15cc. of 3 percent sodium oleate in aqueous solution and 0.1 gram sodiumperborate. The reaction vessels were maintained at 50 C. for '72 hoursand vigorously tumbled throughout the entire reaction period. Theemulsion polymers obtained upon opening the reaction vessel werecoagulated with alcohol, washed and dried. A 99 percent yield of a verytough leathery composition was obtained.

Example 2 Using the procedure described in the preceding experiment,four grams of vinyl furane and 8 grams of chloroprene werecopolymerized. A 92 percent yield of a soft pliable composition wasobtained.

Example 3 Using the procedure defined in the preceding experimentscopolymers of vinyl furane, chloroprene and vinylidene chloride wereprepared. In the following table is set forth a description of thevarious copolymers obtained:

Grams Grams Grams Per Ohlorogg Vinyl Cent Remarks prene Chloride FuraneYield 1.5 1.5 9.0 83 Tough, thermoplastic. 3.0 3.0 6.0 70 Tough,resilient. 6.0 3.0 3.0 68 Relatively hard.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No.202,270, filed April 15, 1938 now abandoned, and application Serial No.487,- 809, filed May 20, 1943, now Patent No. 2,419,057.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificexamples, it is not intended that the details thereof shall be construedas limitations upon the scope of this invention, except 313mg: extentincorporated in the following n q I claim: The following references areof record in the 1. A copolymer of 5 to 95 percent by weight of file ofthis patent:

vinyl furaneand 95 to 5% chloroprene. 5

2. A copolymer of 25 to 75 percent by weight of UNITED STATES PATENTSvinyl furane and 75 to 25 percent of chloroprene. I Number Nam-e Dat 3.A copolymer of two parts by Weight f Vinyl 1,911,722 Sorenson M y 1933fur e a one p of chloroprene- 2,066,330 'Carothers et a1. Jan. 5, 19374. A copolymer of from 1 part o 2 p r s by 10 2,25 ,14 Lichty Sept. 16,1941 weight of vinyl furane and from 2 parts to 1 part Of chloroprene. e

ALBERT M; CLIFFORD.

